After Rebirth, I Let the Intern Dig Her Own Grave

"Erin, does my Black Friday campaign look good to you?"

"It doesn't just look good. This is the textbook definition of a viral growth hack!"

Cassie's eyes lit up instantly.

"I knew it! Erin, you finally get it!"

She tipped her chin up with a smug little smile and turned to the ops specialists standing behind her.

"You guys were just saying I was messing with the rules, you heard that? Even Director Erin thinks my idea is solid."

Jake from the ops team swallowed hard, pointing at the numbers on the screen, his voice barely steady.

"But Cassie... this means a customer buys $300 worth of stuff and we not only give it away for free, we're paying them $50 on top of that."

"If deal hunters catch wind of this, they'll drain our accounts in a single day."

Cassie rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with contempt.

"Jake, this is exactly why you're still a junior specialist after three years."

"Do you even know what growth hacking means? Do you understand lifetime customer value?"

She crossed her arms and started pacing the office floor like she was pitching to a board of investors.

"We are living in the age of traffic. Eyeballs are everything."

"That $50 we're 'losing' buys us one real registered user, one active DAU data point."

"Once our DAU breaks ten million, a Series A at tens of millions of dollars practically walks through the door."

The office went quiet for a few seconds. A few of the senior employees exchanged uneasy glances.

After all, Cassie's boyfriend David was a rising star in the Business Development department right next door.

Right on cue, David strolled over with his Starbucks, slipping his arm around Cassie's waist.

"Our Cassie is just built different. This kind of disruption? You dinosaurs could never."

He looked at me. "Words of encouragement aren't enough, Director Erin."

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms.

"You're right, they're not."

I printed out a document and slapped it on the desk.

"This is a full liability agreement."

"If the Black Friday campaign succeeds, your bonus doubles, and I'll personally recommend to CEO Jason that Cassie be promoted to Deputy Director, skipping the usual track."

I held Cassie's gaze, my voice even.

"But if your mismanagement leads to irreversible losses, you are personally responsible for covering every dollar."

"You willing to sign?"

Cassie hesitated for just a moment.

David frowned. "Come on, Erin, you're really going to wave a contract in her face? Who are you trying to scare?"

I didn't look at him. I kept my eyes on Cassie.

"Brilliant ideas always take a little nerve."

I made a show of pulling the document back.

"Wait!"

Cassie slapped her hand down on the paper and pressed her lips together.

"Fine. I'll sign. I believe in myself completely."

She grabbed the pen and scrawled her name without hesitating, then spun to face David.

"Babe, you sign too. Let's make history together."

David wavered, but with Cassie looking at him like he hung the moon and every coworker watching, he clenched his jaw and signed.

I picked up the liability agreement.

Then I turned and reached for the portable speaker on my desk.

"Cassie has personally guaranteed this campaign with her own and her boyfriend David's credit history, signing a full liability agreement to cover any losses!"

"She will be solely responsible for every operational decision in this Black Friday sale!"

"Let's give her a hand!"

A smattering of applause filled the room.

Cassie stood at her workstation, cheeks flushed, soaking in the spotlight.

I watched her bask in her own blind confidence and felt a cold smile settle somewhere behind my eyes.